IND vs ZIM 2022: "How will the Indian team management use Shubman Gill properly?" - Aakash Chopra on youngster's century in 3rd ODI

Aakash Chopra has questioned how Shubman Gill can best be utilized by the Indian team management going forward. The youngster has excelled both as an opener and at No. 3.

Gill played a 130-run knock off just 97 deliveries as India posted a formidable score of 289/8 in the third ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare on Monday, August 22. The Chevrons, however, ran the visitors close before losing the match by a narrow margin of 13 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Gill as his Player of the Match, elaborating:

"My Player of the Match has to be Shubman Gill. He won all our hearts, struck his first international century. He has done his job, India won the match as well, won the series 3-0, but the question that will come is: How will the Indian team management use Shubman Gill properly? Because the guy is ready."

Chopra added that it was only a matter of time before Gill scored his maiden international century. The former Indian opener observed:

"He scored runs when you made him open and he did that even when you didn't make him open. He is saying you can make him bat anywhere, played 97 balls in total and scored 130 runs. The truth is that the century was going to be scored, the question was when and not if it will be scored because the guy has class."

Gill has missed out on an international century on a couple of occasions in the past. He was dismissed for 91 in the Brisbane Test against Australia last year. More recently, he was left stranded on an unbeaten 98 in the ODI series against West Indies when the Indian innings was truncated due to rain.

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"He has the amazing ability to hit the ball into gaps" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill struck 15 fours and a six during his 130-run innings. [P/C: Instagram]

Chopra was all praise for Gill's technique and his ability to place the ball in the gaps, saying:

"The opposition team might be weak but your batting is in your hands. Shubman Gill is telling repeatedly that the class with which he bats shows that this guy is not going to stop. He is technically extremely solid, he is compact, and he has the amazing ability to hit the ball into gaps."

While in awe of some of the shots Gill played, Chopra highlighted that the 22-year-old has made a stupendous start to his ODI career. The reputed commentator explained:

"The pull he hits, short-arm jab, goes to the left of square leg, towards midwicket. Then when he plays the sweep, he hits them in vacant areas. He is absolutely outstanding. He has not played 10 matches but is amongst the highest run-scorers in the first nine games that anybody has played."

Gill has amassed 499 runs at an outstanding average of 71.28 in the nine ODIs he has played. The Punjab batter has scored 460 runs in just six matches this year at a Bradmanesque average of 112.50 along with a healthy strike rate of 111.66.